You have seen me style for special events and holidays, and as much as I love those, it’s important to have your everyday table essentials covered too! Today I’m sharing my go-to tabletop items and favorite kitchen essentials!

Place Setting
Nothing is more neutral than a good white plate. When I selected our everyday plates I loved the extra detailing with the dolomite construction. They have been great for everyday use, while the dainty design is pretty enough to display in any formal tabletop I design.

If your picking out your everyday plates here is some guidance on what to think about:
1) Are the plates neutral in color? (Can they match with anything I put on my table).
2) Are they dishwasher and microwave safe. This might seem silly to mention but I have a lot of China pieces that are hand wash only. That could cause a big inconvenience for everyday plates!
3) Are they durable and light in weight? Make sure you pick out items that are made from quality materials and can hold up for daily use. My suggestions- invest in your everyday! My second thought on this is weight. Make sure your everyday plates are a good weight. Some of my collection is made from heavy thick stone- which is fine for occasional eating but to have those on my table everyday might be more challenging to put up. 🙂
4) Does the item give you JOY? Okay now I sound like Marie Kondo. But seriously! If you are going to see these plates and China everyday you need to LOVE them!

Silverware
You need a good go-to set of silverware for you table. When we first made our wedding registry 7 years ago (open wide mouth in shock, time flies) I went to Bed Bath and Beyond and fell in love with the Kate Spade silverware. Seven years later, we still use them everyday. They are fabulous and I love the sleek design.

Tips for picking out silverware:
1) Does the silverware have key details or etching to make them unique? I picked my go-to silverware because of the sleek design and loved the fact that the knife stood up. Some companies offer free monogram etching. Do your research and read reviews.
2) Durability? Again, is the item durable and will it last a long time? Sometimes poor craftmanship can cause a lot of scratched on silverware, or the finish will rub off. Highly encourage you to make this a larger part of your investment for everyday tabletop.
3) Dishwasher safe? Again a given, but just want to make sure. 🙂

Glassware
Having a set of water and wine glasses that you love is essential for your everyday table. I used to only have crystal water glasses. They were heavy and bulky so I picked up more modern short water glasses and love them. For wine glasses my go to brand is Riedel. I prefer stemless wine glasses while cooking and running around the house but nothing is more beautiful than a stemmed wine glass on the table.
1) Neutral in color– For everyday stick to neutral water glasses.
2) Weight and material– stick with lighter weight glasses for everyday
3) Use stemmed wine glasses when setting your table . (stemless for entertaining/around the house). If you don’t like what I’m saying consider getting a small wine glass cleaning brush and drying rack. Makes the clean up super easy and fast. If you still don’t like what I’m saying (giggles) they make dishwasher safe wine glasses.

Charger Plates
Have fun with this. My must-have charger is a natural jute braided charger like this one from Target. I do collect chargers and have them in a variety of color. You can collect these overtime but start with the basics first, then add color later.

Napkins
You can really have fun here! For starters, I couldn’t recommend getting a solid white napkin enough. For all my wedding registry ladies, get a set of monogrammed dinner napkins on your list – I am obsessed with these hemstitched dinner napkins from Tuckernuck. Nothing is more beautiful than monogrammed napkins on the table. Start thinking about the basic neutral colors like white, cream, then go into color and then printed napkins. Napkins are one of my favorites for choosing when decided on a place setting. They really add the perfect touch to your table! * Napkin tip* Press your dinner napkins before entertaining. I use my local dry cleaners to keep all my napkins pretty.

I hope this helps and gives you tips and guidance for putting together your everyday tabletop.
Sharing my favorites linked below! Let me know what you think and would like to see next!

Until next time,
Whitney Elaine